Clereen's Story: Season 2
by Floppy600
Summary: DON'T READ UNLESS you have read Sonic X: Clereen's Story first as this is a continuation of that story! Clereen made a miraculous recovery from the electric shock but something feels strange. Nevertheless she gets a new hobby of inventing but things soon get out of hand when she creates a interdemensional transporter and they get sucked away with it!
Clereen could hear faint voices echoing in her ears. Is someone there? Who is it? I can't open my eyes! Am I...dead? Clereen tried to listen to the voices but they muttered so much she couldn't tell what they were saying and yet she felt fearful of them. They sounded desperate, as if, shouting to her. Like something really bad was happening but what? She couldn't feel a thing and could only hear these voices floating away slowly from her. Then suddenly the pain seeped into her like venom through her veins. It was agonising. Can you feel pain in heaven? Am I in hell? Will I never see my professors face again? The thoughts drifted through her mind like water into a lake of sorrow and she felt like sobbing her heart out.

But just then, she felt the touch of a familiar hand on hers and she felt calm. Knuckles. He had confessed his love to her not to long ago. Did he really mean it or was he just talking in terms of family? It really bothered her not knowing for sure but it hurt to even move her lips. She felt like she was trapped in a thin seal of charcoal attached to her skin which mustn't have been far from the truth considering what happened. But how was she alive?! Whenever she moved it felt like it ripped a new hole in her skin but the touch of Knuckles hand was enough for her. For now.

After a while of some good rest she woke up again. It was surprisingly easy to sleep as long as she didn't move but that was easier said than done. She often woke up from the pain of moving by accident when sleeping and it bothered her a lot. For what must have been hours, waking, resting, waking and resting again. Eventually she was able to open her eyes but the picture was very blurry. All she could see were faint blobby figures but she could recognise them easily. The red blob Knuckles stayed beside her for almost the entire day and always came to her aid first when she needed it. Tails was also quite close behind with assistance and she resumed the thin pink thing was Anna.

Clereen just felt so tired all the time she didn't feel bored like her last recovery time. She just felt like she was drifting away into the clouds but at the same time her head hurt like it was being frazzled by tiny little fairies. Eventually, Clereen was able to see things clearly and hear properly at last! It was not such a great day thought as she worried what the others would say about her condition. What they would say about her. Did they still love her? Perhaps they did since they had chosen to care for her in her time of need but maybe this was some quick curtesy of some kind. She couldn't bring herself to believe it was complete acceptance of her and all she stood for in all confidence. It just couldn't be. She was a spy. A traitor. Surely they would never understand.

Nevertheless, when she finally was able to see better she saw nothing but happy faces. Faces that were overjoyed to see her alive, just to see her face. But why?

"Oh Clereen! You can see us now? Wow you have been under for so long. I am so glad to see you are feeling better" Tails said cheerfully, strangely cheerfully for her.

"For how long?" Clereen asked, grimacing at the pain of moving her lips a little, although at had got much getter recently.

"Oh don't ya worry bout that puddin'! You gotta get some vitamins in ya!" Holly said as she shoved some vegetables into her mouth. Clereen hadn't even noticed but apparently she had been sitting there already.

"You have been resting for weeks now but why does that matter? You're alive!" Tails said with joy. It was true. It was a miracle at the very least but it still felt very strange. She looked at her skin and she soon noticed it had healed up very well and even her hair was growing back.

"You'll be able to walk around in probably only one more week or so" Knuckles added to the conversation. Clereen put her hand on his and smiled. She felt such a strong bond with him in a sort of spiritual way. She felt like their hearts had been dating even if their physical bodies were not. Knuckles looked away with embarrassment but Clereen could see his cheeks growing redder, if that was even possible. This nice moment was quickly interrupted by Holly shoving more vegetables in Clereen's mouth and she couldn't help but grunt disapprovingly.

"Well, you are certainly getting back to normal" Knuckles said with a faint smile, which he seemed to try and conceal from Tails view behind him.

There were the normal things to talk about for the next week. Not much. Whenever Clereen tried to mention something serious they sort of brushed it off a little, only giving half answers to her questions. Well they were answers and they felt rather meaningful but somehow it still never felt like enough. Like something was missing but Clereen always felt complete when Knuckles was there to hold her hand so gently as to not hurt her sores. Before long the week went by and it felt just like nothing had happened. It felt very strange to go from something so dramatic to something so mundane so fast.

Clereen had brushed off the thoughts about them not accepting her a while ago. There was no use to keep on asking and asking. They always answered the same way so she guessed it must be true. Still she could barely believe it. Accept her? Of all the creatures in the world, why her? Clereen didn't want to constantly look miserable in front of her friends so she kept a lot of her thoughts to herself, at least at first. It wasn't long until Clereen realised it was fruitless to try and hide anything from them now as they knew her enough to know how to squeeze answers from her. The strange thing was that they didn't even seem to care. They always accepted and comforted her no matter how much she stressed it. Perhaps she was worrying too much all along. Perhaps she had finally found her family, her home.

Clereen felt more comfortable now than she had ever before but still things bugged her. Now she didn't have to worry about the present, she found herself now worrying about the past. She had so hoped to meet her farther in death and she somehow felt cheated of it. It was great having such friends and being accepted but still there was no-one who understood her quite like the professor. She eventually decided that moping about wouldn't do anything. The past is the past. Perhaps it really was time to move on in life.

Knuckles had suggested that she try using her computing and scientific knowledge to create something so she did. First she started with some warm up exercises by fixing some broken devices. Then she started a hobby of inventing and created many little gadgets around the house. Nothing much, an electronic coffee machine, a detector or two. But still she didn't feel satisfied. Perhaps she needed a bigger goal. Something that she had to improvise with. Something unknown.

The weeks went by and she spent more and more time inventing. She tried to spend time with her friends when she could but whenever there was any time to herself it was always back into her little lab. Well, there wasn't any actual lab but she had a little room she liked to keep all her tools and gadgets so it was the next best thing. She kept it locked as she didn't like being disturbed when concentrating on something. Everyone was aware that she was creating something but this time she didn't tell them. This bothered Tails to no end. Tails just hated not knowing something, even if she trusted the person. She kept slipping in question after question but she never got anywhere. This was something she was determined to keep a secret until the very last minute.

Eventually, Clereen finished and called everyone over to see it. It was a very strange looking device that seemed like it had come out of the 50s with its rounded square design and cream coloured casing. It had lots of bits and bobs coming out of it so it seemed like an invention that would by typically used as a prop in an old black and white B movie of some sort. To be frank, it didn't look that clever or futuristic at all and it didn't jolt the imagination. Everyone looked at it for a while and Clereen just smiled the kind of smile she does when she realises she is smarter than them but it trying not to look full of pride. But she definitely was looking rather big headed.

Knuckles broke the question "What is it?" he said with a little distain. It was hard to take this thing seriously.

"What does it do?!" Tails cried, she always loved a new invention and as we know, she hates secrets.

"It's an interdimensional transporter" Clereen said as if it was just a new type of sandwich she had made on the fly and wasn't a big deal.

"WHAT?!" Almost everyone cried with astonishment and especially Tails. Clereen just smiled her trying to be nice but actually smug smile again. It pleased her to see them so clueless and amazed with something she did and she couldn't help but bask in the glory of the moment.

"Errr what does it do?" Sonic asked, completely missing what was going on.

"Well, what do you think it does?" She said with a big grin and a chuckle at his ignorance.

"All you have to do is push this and turn this" Clereen said as she pressed and twisted the many buttons and nozzles of the device

"and then pull this lever here" Clereen explained as she pointed at the very prominent lever that took up most of the device.

"It travels between time and space and anything organic that is in contact with it at the time to another plane. Here you can see the co-ordinates of where you are going" Clereen said as she pointed at a little white 4 digit number system that flickered like an old clock. Clereen tapped it a little and a pleasurable knocking sound reverberated from it.

"I love that sound" Clereen said with a giggle that showed her childish side which so contrasted with her skill at inventing

"I used some old parts to keep it sturdy. They just don't make things the same way anymore...and it looks nice" Clereen said with pride as she turned to see their gawking faces again. She was a little hesitant on the last part, confessing the real reason she used the parts.

"Clereen?! What the heck is wrong with you?!" Knuckles cried with rage. Clereen was now used to his random outbursts of rage as she did something he considered risky. He only meant to protect her after all. She just turned to listen to his point with a calm but slightly cheeky face of fake surprise.

"This is the most dangerous thing you have ever done!" Knuckles cried in desperation for her to listen to him but she stayed calm and didn't flinch in the slightest.

"You'll change your mind when we try it!" Clereen cried with a playful grin as she bounced over to the device again and proceeded to press a few buttons and twist the nozzles again.

"Come on! Let's do it!" Clereen said with glee as she put her hand firmly on the lever ready to pull it. Tails cheerfully came running, completely forgetting the responsibility she had for everyone for her curiosity and excitement. Sonic joined in slowly when he saw Clereen and Tails staring at him hopefully. Knuckles was gobsmacked that Sonic would even consider this and watched in horror as he meandered over.

"Come on, Knuckles!" Clereen cried with a very big cute smile. Clereen knew Knuckles was a sucker for that smile.

Knuckles stuttered and didn't manage a word for a while as he tried to control his embarrassment and comprehend the situation.

"Your loss!" Clereen cried as she pulled the lever without hesitation.

"N-NO!" Knuckles cried and he grabbed onto them just in time to disappear along with them.

Within the blink of an eye they were whisked away to another plane. They appeared in the air and they all fell a short distance onto the ground. Clereen rubbed her head and everyone else groaned at the aches and pains of falling in an awkward position. Clereen looked around and had a strange feeling she recognised this place very well. Something about the grass beneath her feet and the winds of the trees nearby felt familiar and comforting. Where were they?

"I think I recognise this place" she said within deep thought before Knuckles suddenly pulled her by the scruff of her neck towards his face.

"ARE YOU FUCKING NUTS?!" Knuckles yelled in her face.

"Well different planes have different land so it only reasonable we could appear above the ground or even in the ground sometimes" Clereen just tried to explain nervously before being shook violently by Knuckles

"HOW DOES THAT MAKE THIS ANY FUCKING BETTER?! HOW ARE WE SUPPOSED TO GET HOME IF WE APPEARED IN THE FUCKING GROUND?!" Knuckles rages as he shook Clereen till she felt dizzy. Meanwhile Tails had noticed something

"Errr Clereen? Where is the Teleporter?" Tails said nervously as she looked around. Clereen turned to see Tails and then continued to look around to see where the teleporter was. It was true! It was nowhere to be seen!

"Oh this is FUCKING GREAT!" Knuckles cried, still raging but letting go of Clereen.

Clereen couldn't shake the feeling something was odd about this place. It looked the same as the area just above the city. Maybe they weren't in a different plane at all! Everything was just as she remembered it to be here, nothing was different. But something just felt...strange.

"Let's split up and search for the teleporter!" Tails suggested and everyone agreed

"If you have got us lost I will fucking KILL you Clereen!" Knuckles cried, still in plenty of rage. Clereen laughed a nervous laugh before carrying on to search the area. However, after a few minutes everyone met back where they started and no-one had found anything, not even a clue. Knuckles glared at Clereen which made her sweat anxiously. She tried to think of a solution and then it hit her!

"The mansion! It must be in the mansion where we started!" She cried and she went to investigate without waiting up for anyone. The others quickly tried to follow but they couldn't run as fast as Clereen, except for Sonic which didn't want to leave Tails' side for now.

Clereen got to the city first so she tried to look around for the mansion. She walked around the city and found something felt ever stranger around here. The city had a strange layout, one that didn't make sense, although she still recognised it. It seemed as if the places she knew were merged together, making a strange art piece. Then she remembered how easy it was to see the mansion from the top of the buildings so she went to the top of her favourite look out building and searched for the mansion.

Things seemed a little more comfortable here until she realised the view was suddenly much more detailed than the rest of the city seemed to be. It was weird. It was like the city was in a video game and the textures had only just loaded where she stood around her and where she looked out. When she got down to go in the mansions direction everything seemed blurred yet again. Something was definitely not right. Was it all the shaking Knuckles did to her a minute ago? Possibly. She was a bit wobbly and dizzy still.

Clereen arrived at the mansion and quickly went to see the place she showed them the teleporting device but it wasn't there. Sonic caught up soon afterwards and saw her disappointment and the blank room in front of her. She looked up at her, worried and she looked back with concern and sympathy. Even guilt. OK maybe this was a dumb idea. She didn't want to worry them and put them in danger.

"Don't worry. We'll find it...eventually" Clereen said, trying to comfort Sonic but she soon lost confidence in her words.

It didn't take too long for Tails and Knuckles to catch up to them since they knew where they were going. Clereen and Sonic met with them at the door, both with a big frown. Clereen looked at Knuckles and Tails as they also seemed rather upset.

"I'm sorry OK! I just...I didn't mean..." Clereen didn't know what to say. What she did was thoughtless and selfish and she could never forgive herself if they didn't get back safely. She felt like punching herself.

"It's OK, Clereen. Now is not the time to worry about that. The priority is to get things back to normal as soon as possible!" Tails said, taking control of the situation. Clereen nodded before realising it was a bit odd how she had said that. Back to normal? But things were normal! Weren't they?

"Clereen? Where are we?" Tails asked her.

"W-What do you mean?" Clereen asked nervously

"What do you mean 'what do I mean'? Can't you tell something isn't right? This place isn't our home! Have you seen the city?!" Tails said with earnest

"Well I did notice it was a little strange looking but I thought that was my imagination"

"It looks nothing like our city! I have been around here and everything is mixed up! Locations are in the wrong places and others don't even exist!" Tails said, obviously very startled by the idea. Clereen stood there and thought for a while.

"But I thought they were fine..." She said thoughfully, more to herself than them. Then she rushed off to check a room and the door was locked.

"What are you doing Clereen?! Now is not the time to find out what is in that closet!" Knuckles cried in surprise at Clereen's lack of understanding of the seriousness of the situation.

"I'm testing a theory" Clereen said as she pulled the door handle

"Nope. Definitely won't open" Clereen said as she then stood and thought again.

"Great. We found the door won't open. HOW DOES THAT HELP?!" Knuckles cried desperately.

"Knuckles, Tails. Can you check any location I don't know well" Clereen asked.

"What? Why?" Knuckles enquired, completely confused

"Just do it!" Clereen said so they did. They checked all the locations they knew Clereen hadn't been in the mansion and the city. Clereen also checked some locations and then they met back at the mansion front.

"Were all the rooms I haven't been in locked?" Clereen asked as she looked down in thought

"yes" Tails answered

"And were all the locations I haven't been strange and irregular?"

"yes..." Knuckles said as he started to understand where she was going with this

"As I thought. They seem to be related to me and my knowledge..." Clereen carried on thinking

"You're right...but what does it mean?" Tails said

"I have a theory in mind. I think...now bare with me on this but..." Clereen tried to explain but found it difficult to find the right words

"Just spit it out" Knuckles said with a sigh

"I think we may be in my dreamscape" Clereen said

"You mean in your dreams?" Tails questioned

"You are aren't even asleep how is that even possible!" Knuckles cried with confusion

"There is a lot about the universe and dimensional planes we don't know so it is not unreasonable to assume that dreams are potentially a dimension in itself...errr themselves" Clereen explained, feeling rather unsure of herself even.

"That's ridiculous! I never heard something so stupid!" Knuckles cried

"Why not? It makes sense to me" Tails said and Sonic agreed

"There is only one way to find out for sure. We need to go to the shore line and check past the line of sight" Clereen said

"How would that help?" Knuckles asked

"Trust me" So they all went to check the shore line in a boat they found.

The city was empty so they were able to take the boat without problem. When they go there something very strange was clear very fast. As they got close to the point where the sight of them could see from the shore, suddenly something white was visible in the distance. As they got closer, they soon found the whole area was white as a sheet, no more than that. Completely white and completely blank as if gone entirely. They had to be careful to not go too close to it of fear of disappearing with this strange unnatural sight.

"As I thought. You see, when I dream I can only show things which I know and anything I don't I will fill in the gaps. That's why the doors to rooms I don't know won't open or the areas I haven't been to are different. I have mixed locations I know together with other locations as I don't know how they fit together since I only know parts of the area. Then other places I don't know anything about, I create my own place based on my previous knowledge but one of the only places I don't know enough about to create anything is the ocean." Clereen explained in wonder at the sight of her own mind.

"This is beyond strange" Knuckles said, scratching his head

"I know" Tails agreed

"But how do we get out of here?" Tails asked as she turned to Clereen but then she realised her eyes were watering

"I don't know" She said as she tried to keep herself calm

"Don't worry, Clereen. I'm sure it won't take too long to find the teleporter and you didn't mean to do this" Tails comforted her as she put her hand on her shoulder. Clereen put her hand on hers in acknowledgement of her kind gesture

"Thanks but really. This is all my fault. I just wish I knew where it was..." Clereen stood and started thinking once again.

"It's so strange. We had to be in contact with the device in order to teleport so why would we end up somewhere else from where it is?" Clereen asked herself thoughtfully

"That is a strange thing isn't it. Perhaps there was something wrong with the co-ordinates?" Tails said, trying with her limited knowledge on the subject to figure out a solution as well

"Oh fuck it! Can't we just rest for a bit first. I think I need a lie down" Knuckles suggested and the others agreed. They went back to shore and they all lay down on the grass in the afternoon sun. Clereen found it very comfortable there. She had always felt sleepy since they had been there and sun bathing only helped to make her even more tired. It wasn't long before she drifted slowly into sleep but then she was suddenly awoken by the screams of her friends, trying to get her attention.

"WAKE UP!" Clereen heard them yelling so she did, only to find the world moving and shifting around her.

"Whatever you do, Clereen. DON'T FUCKING SLEEP!" Knuckles yelled as they all floated around in a white special abyss with random items shifting into weird shapes and flying past them before their eyes. However, soon after Clereen woke up the world shifted back into the way it was before, except this time Clereen could see a small pond just ahead of them. She had thought that a pond would look nice over there and help her to wash her face of the heat maybe. Then she realised.

"Of COURSE! This is MY dream! I can change it whenever I want!" Clereen cried with joy

"How is that a good thing?!" Knuckles cried in panic after not quite getting over the fact that the world started to cold into a new shape in front of him and he thought he would die not too long ago.

"If I want the device here I can make it here!" Clereen cried before looking ahead and pointing

"THERE IT IS!" Clereen was right as the device appeared on the grass where it wasn't before. They all rushed towards it and Clereen quickly set about fixing the co-ordinates to get back home.

"Are you sure you know the co-ordinates?" Tails asked with worry

"Oh yes of course! I checked a million times before we left!" Clereen said as she set the machine and pulled the lever. Then they all were whisked away like a feather in the wind and just like that, they were gone again.


End file.
